Yorkshire and beer.
Never a better pairing.
Up and down the land brits enjoy beer, from ales to stouts. However no place from Land’s End to John O’Groats really does it as well as Yorkshire. Join us in exploring some of the best breweries in God’s Own County.
Black Sheep
The Black Sheep Brewery is situated in the gorgeous market town of Masham, in North Yorkshire. The brewery was established in 1991, and following a successful launch became a public limited company in 1992. The brewery focuses on producing a range of strongly hopped bitters, this is to distinguish itself from Theakston’s range of fruity and yeasty beers. Black Sheep Brewery also opened their doors to visitors, with the unused parts of the facilities being used to host tours and host the site’s visitors centre.
Tetley’s
The Tetley brand is synonymous with Yorkshire culture, in a dominant fight with John Smith’s for pole position. The beer was originally produced in the Leeds Brewery which soon changed its name to the Leeds Tetley Brewery. The history of the Tetley family’s brewing adventures, go as far back as the 1740’s with William Tetley described as a maltster in Armley. With such a long history of brewing in Leeds it is no surprise there is an intrinsic link between Leeds and Tetley. To this day Tetley still sponsors Leeds Rhinos Rugby league club.
John Smith’s
The John Smith’s Brewery is situated in Tadcaster, North Yorkshire. The eponymous beer is the highest selling bitter in the United Kingdom since the mid-1990’s. John Smith’s Extra Smooth and original and produced at the Tadcaster brewery, with a 38 million litre capacity, the brewery is one of the largest in the country. John Smith’s utilised the caricature of a Yorkshireman called “Arkwright” during the 1970’s and 1980’s to market its beers in the South of England. The brand was also the principal sponsor of the Grand National between 2005 and 2013, and has been the main sponsor of the John Smith’s Cup since 1960 cementing their place in the horse racing world. The company has been intrinsically linked with horses outside of the races, with their beers being delivered by dray horses to the areas surrounding the brewery as far away as Pateley bridge. The last of the company’s dray horses were retired in 1947.
Northern Monk
Started in 2014, Northern Monk consists of two Brewery Sites. The first site is their original brewery at the Old Flax Store. The site is a Grade 2 listed building located in Holbeck. In 2014 Northern Monk renovated the, at the time, derelict mill into its first brewery. Their second brewery is also in Holbeck, a stone’s throw away from the first at Sydenham Road. Northern Monk, like its namesake, creates high quality beers utilising traditional monastic brewing techniques with a progressive approach to ingredients and brewing. They also work within the community to strengthen Yorkshire with positive change through their patrons’ projects.
Salamander
Salamander Brewery was founded in 1999. Their mission was to bring a high quality independent beer to the masses, and they have done so. Winning many awards for their brews. Their brewery is situated in a converted pie factory in Bradford. Their small brewery is beautifully designed. Using many items of dairy equipment to provide high quality and sanitary conditions for their brewing. Their beers are inspired by idioms and catchphrases that inject a hint of nostalgia into its products.
